Liquid-fuel-supply arrangement of internal-combustion engines.



J. HIGGINSON &: H. ARUNDEL.

LIQUID FUEL SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912. Patented July 22, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. HIGGINSON 6; H. ARUNDBL. LIQUID EUEL SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT OF INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912. IL E IQ I Patented July 22, 1913.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

fywwzimm Q7 Jam d w d (V Z M cw J. HIGGINSON 5; H. AR'UNDEL.

LIQUID FUEL SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912.

LUWQJN, Patented July 22, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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J. HIGGINSON & H. ARUNDEL. LIQUID FUEL SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT OF INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912. lmfifi 1 E0 Patented July 22, m3.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. HIGGINSON & H. ARUNDEL.

LIQUID FUEL SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912.

9 Mo Patented July 22, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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JOSEPH HIGGINSON AND HUBER/1 ARUINDEL. F STOCK PORT, ENGLAND.

.LIQUID-FUELSUPPLY ARRANGEMENT 0F TNTERITAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

' Specification of LetteIs\Patent.

Application filed May 23,1912. .tlerial K154699321.

Sovereign Works, Stockport, in the county of Chester, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Liquid- Fuel-SnpplyArrangements of Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to'the liquid fuel supplyarrangements of internalcombustion engines and has for its object to provide in .an efiicentmanner for the supply of the fuel to the carburetor from the main fueltank without the necessity for maintaining the said tank and itsconnections under pressure as at present usual.

Our invention comprises the combination with a main fuel suppl tank, ofa supplementary tank or chamber, into which the fuel is drawn bysuction, the arrangement being such that when the level of thefuel insaid supplementary tank or chamber reaches a predetermined height, thesaid tank. or chamber is isolated from the source of suction and thefuel can flow. therefrom to the carburetor or its equivalent.

Referring to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings :-F igure 1is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan view of apparatus constructed inone convenient form in accordance with our invention. Figs. 3 and 4 aredetail views to be hereinafter referred to. Fig; 5 is a vertical sectionand Fig. 6 a plan view of a modified form of apparatus. Fig. 7 is avertical section of a further modified form of apparatus. Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic view showing the general arrangement of the liquid fuelsupply means.

The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same orsimilar parts.

In the application of Your invention illustrated at Figs. 1 to 4, themain fuel supply tank vw, which may be arranged "in any convenientposition on a level with or below the carbureter a; (see Fig. 8), isconnected by way of a pipe at with asupplementary vessel or chamber'bpreferably of relatively small capacity, the latter Vessel communicatingwith thecarbureter by way of ,a further or auxiliary tankor receptacle0. The valve 0! is provided for controllin the flow of fluid from themain tank to t e chamber. b, and another valve 6 for controlling theflow from the latter chamber to the auxiliary tank c. The vessel 6communicates'by the passage 7 with a source of suction, which may, forexample, be the cylinder of the engine which is being fed by the supplytank aforesaid or may be an independent pump or like .part. Preferablythe passage f leads to the carburetor induction pipe 3 (see Fig. 8). Theconnection between the pipe 1 and the vessel 6 is controlled by a valveg which is so actuated by the float h that when the fuel level in brises to a predetermined height, the valve is closed, while when thesaid level falls to a predetermined point, it. is opened. The floatslides on the Patented July 22, 1913.

valve stem r1- an'd engages stops or like els inents thereon. The upperstop is at 7' while the lower stop; may be a pin inserted in me or otherof the apertures l; in the stem 1. We provide an air inlet m upon thechamber 5 and also a small air inlet to the auxiliary vessel 0, thelatter being by way of the. funnel shaped part a shown in Figs. 3 and 4;the said inlets insure that when the source of suction is isolated fromthe chamber 6, the latter shall be placed under atmospheric pressure sothat the liquid can flow therefrom by gravity to the auxiliary vessel 0and thence to the carbureter.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :Assuming that the fuellevel in the vessel 6 has fallen apredetermined amount, the float Itwill cause the opening of the valve g controlling communication with thesource of suction. Immediately the vessel '12 will be placed under areduced pressure and the valve d willbe drawn oflf its seat so as toopen the passage a leading to the main fuel tank. 'The suction actionwill draw fuel into the vessel 1) from the main tank until the levelrises to a predetermined height when the suction control valve 9 will beclosed by the float. Air from the passage m then recreates atmosphericpressure in the vessel which results in the closing of the valve cl onthe main pipe a and the opening of the valve e on the auxiliary vesselsupply connection, said valves closing and opening respectively by theirown weight. repeated.

In the arrangement shown at Figs. 5 and 6,-the valves 02. and e areconnected to and light. compression coil springs q, r.

The cycle of operations is then action is however, exactly similarto-that any water or impurities previously described, namely that thesuction in the chamber b-acting on the dia phragms opens the valve d andclosesthe valve 6. When the suction is removed, the diaphragms close thevalve d and open the valve 6. r

In the modification illustrated at Fig. 7, both valves (Z and e areoperated by the one piston 39. The operation of the apparatus is,however, the same as with the previous apparatus.

In all cases, we may if desired, adapt the air inlet connection. at tothe chamber 0 to act also as a funnel for priming the apparatus when itis empty. With the arrange.

ment illustrated at Fig. 1, the pipe .9 leading from the chamber 0 tothe carburetor has a by-pass connection t with said cham her, so thatshould there be but a small quantity of liquid fuel in the chamber awhen starting, this can be drawn oil to the carbureter. A. perforated orgauze tube or strainer u is fitted on the inlet to the main pipe 8. Athree way cock controls the pipe 8. The tap o in Fig. 1 is for drawingofi thatmay collect in the chamber a.

A ball or like non-return valve uris placed in the suction pipe f toprevent the formation of any pressure in the vesselb due to back firingor other cause.

Suitable control valves and fittings may be provided where. desired forregulating the flow ,of fuel, the inflow of air or the suction action. 4

. Apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention is particularlyadvantageous for use in motor cars 6f low build where the main fuelsupply tank is at a. lower level than the carbureter.

By our arrangement, petrol leakage due tothe pressure usually necessaryin the petrol supply passages is obviated or minimized. We may vary thedetails and arrange- .ments of our apparatusto suit any particularrequirements.

Havlng now descr bed our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is '1. In combination, a main liquid tank, a

source of suction, a supplementary vessel receiving its liqu d from saidmam tank, an auxiliary vessel receiving its liquid supply from saidsupplementary vessel, means for vessel, a conduit placing said source ofsuction in communication with the supplementary vessel, a floatcontrolled valve for making and breaking communication between saidsource of. suction and said 'supplemen-' tary vessel, an auxiliaryvessel receiving liquid from said supplementary vessel, a nonreturnvalve controlling the flow of liquid between said supplementaryandauxiliary vessels, and means for admitting air'to said supplementaryand auxiliary vessels, as set forth.

3. In combination, a main fuel tank, a source of suction, asupplementary vessel communicating with said main tank, a nonreturnvalve controlling communication between saidmain tank and supplementaryvessel, a conduit placing said source of suction in communication withsaid supplementary 'vessel, a valve controlling said conduit,

a float slidable upon said valve stem, means two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH HIGGINSON. HUBERT, ARUNDEL. Witnesses:

ARTHUR HUoHEs, 'JAS. STEWART BROADFOOT.

